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A thief who was short of money in the run up to Christmas targeted the same shop two days running.

Craig Gilroy, 30, of George Street, North Shore, pleaded guilty to two offences of theft.

He was given a 12 months conditional discharge and ordered to pay £47 compensation with £85 costs plus £20 victims’ surcharge.

Prosecutor, Pam Smith, said Gilroy was detained at the B and M Bargains store, Whitegate Drive, on December 23 at noon, after stealing three jars of coffee valued at £14.

CCTV showed he had been in the shop the day before and taken four bottles of liqueur worth £47.

He had a record of 29 previous offences of theft and similar matters and at the time of the offence was on post prison sentence supervision.

Howard Green, defending, said in the run up to Christmas his client was short of money and decided to steal to get some. Gilroy, who had been diagnosed with bi-polar disorder, was estranged from his family.

He had no permanent accommodation but was allowed to sleep at the address he had given.

He had also missed appointments with the probation service on his post prison sentence supervision.

Two men have been convicted of being drunk and disorderly in Tunbridge Wells after England’s World Cup quarter-final win over Sweden.

Freddie Farnie, 25, and Karl Laslett, 24, were arrested for separate incidents in the town centre on July 7.

Both men were unrepresented when they appeared before Sevenoaks Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday (July 24).

Fruit farm worker Farnie, of Holmewood Road in High Brooms, pleaded guilty to being drunk and disorderly in a public place, as well as causing criminal damage to a property valued under £5,000.

Prosecution

Prosecuting, Debbie Jones, said: “On 7th July at 5pm, officers were deployed in Tunbridge Wells town centre to deal with any public order incidents, as there was World Cup football on.”

Officers were stationed outside the Opera House, when 10 people walked out.

Ms. Jones continued: “One was the defendant and he was standing in the road. He was asked to move and said ‘I can do what I f****** want, it’s a free country.'”
‘You can’t touch me’

Farnie reportedly also approached an officer and said: “You can’t touch me, that’s f****** assault,” before being pulled away by friends when police asked him to move.

Ms Jones continued: “He stood in the road shouting at another officer. The officer approached with the intention of arresting him but he ran off.”

A short while later, Farnie had made his way to The Barn on Mount Pleasant Road, where he was abusive to members of staff before being spotted hot-footing it back up the hill in the direction of the Trinity Theatre, the court heard.

The arrest

Ms Jones added: “Police made their way to York Road and detained the defendant and arrested him for being drunk and disorderly.”

While in his cell at Tonbridge police station in the early hours of July 8, the court heard how Farnie spat on the wall and at the CCTV camera, as well as tearing up the reading material and flushing it down the toilet.

Regarding his behaviour that evening, Farnie said: “It was a one off on that day because of the football. I used to have a few problems a few years ago but I’ve grown up a bit. It was just a bad day.”

Conditional discharge

Sentencing, magistrate Abigail Brennan said: “We are going to make a conditional discharge for 12 months. If you commit any offence, however, I will stress, any offence, then you will be brought back to court and not only with that offence but this will be put back again.

“You are required to pay £80 for a deep clean [of the cell], together with a victim surcharge of £20, plus £85 costs.”

Laslett

Also on that Saturday afternoon, Laslett, a labourer, who lives on Grange Road, was outside The Rose and Crown pub on Grosvenor Road.

Police attended the pub after they became aware of an altercation involving a group of males in the street.

Prosecuting, Debbie Jones said: “[Members of staff] went outside and informed police that [Laslett] had been refused service and been asked to leave.

“He said he was upset about being asked to leave, as he was banned from everywhere else in town.”

She added: “He went to the opera house [Wetherspoon’s] and caused further problems.

“At that point, the officers made the decision to arrest him.”

‘I wasn’t that drunk’

Laslett, who pleaded guilty to the charge of being drunk and disorderly, said: “To be fair I wasn’t that drunk because I was only in the cell for four hours.

“If I was that bad don’t you think I would have been in overnight?”

He added: “It was the World Cup on so there was around 1,000 people in town doing as I was and they chose me. That’s my luck isn’t it?”

Sentencing, Magistrate Brennan said: “We’re going to deal with this by way of a fine. The fine will be £160. You must pay costs of £85 and the victim surcharge will be £35.”

He was banned after having a flare at a match in Cheshire
A banned football fan has admitted failing to hand over his passport to ensure he did not attend England’s away matches.

Carpentry apprentice Benjamin Baguley was given a one-year conditional discharge by Nottingham magistrates, who ordered him to pay £85 prosecution costs and £30 government tax.

They were told that he was handed a three-year football banning order by magistrates in Cheshire last year. Baguley, 22, of Montague Street, Bulwell, was also fined.

Sarah Smith, prosecuting, told the Nottingham court: “He was found guilty of possessing a flare and throwing it onto the pitch during a match.

“When the order was imposed, one condition was to surrender his passport when England are playing away.”

This was pointed out in a letter sent to him on August 29 last year but he had failed to hand in the passport by October 4.

Miss Smith added: “When interviewed about the matter, he accepted that he knew the condition. He said that he was busy at work, that was the reason why he didn’t comply and acknowledged the breach would be a serious matter.”

Baguley admitted failing to surrender his passport at the Central Police Station on October 4. He was given a one-year conditional discharge.

He told the court: “I know I have done wrong. I was busy and was more focused on sorting myself out, trying to get an apprenticeship which I managed to get.”

Presiding magistrate Maureen Baker, who sat with two colleagues, told him: “The football banning order is very important and was for a serious offence.

“It was very important you comply with the order and part of your order was to surrender your passport.

“We are giving you another chance. Keep out of trouble and comply with the football banning order.”

There is no suggestion that Baguley used the passport to watch football matches.

As with August 2015, last February’s rally was also a disaster. At his court appearance today, Prodromou claimed he had acted in self defence to a charge of hitting someone over the head with a flag pole.

The prosecution then produced prior convictions, one from 2015 where he had a twelve -month conditional discharge for a similar offence. The Magistrates concluded that Prodromou had breached that conditional discharge. His defence began to argue that for a whole year since this offence Prodromou has kept away from bother. Surprisingly, Prodromou who is known to us as a builder, claimed he is unemployed and currently seeking employment. His defence suggested a new three-year conditional discharge.

There was also some other confusion; namely over Mr Prodromou’s name. It is well known that Prodromou likes to be known as the more Anglo-Saxon sounding “Pitt”, but he confirmed to the court that his name is Prodromou. That was particularly interesting, as in this foul mouthed rant, Prodromou makes a big thing of “standing by my name.” Oh well..

The magistrates decide that he should get a two year conditional discharge starting from today. He should also meet all the court costs given a full trial has taken place. Those costs are £620.00. He was also ordered to pay a £15 victim surcharge.

Prodromou asked if he could pay the fine back at £5 per week.

Already his supporters from his tiny South East Alliance (SEA) gang are claiming it is a great result for their leader. Others will not be so sure. Late last year, the fascist magazine Heritage & Destiny aired what a lot of people have been thinking for the last eighteen months, that it is becoming tiresome having Prodromou shouting, pushing and shoving his way around the far-right and yet unlike so many others he has encouraged, he never seems to end up in gaol. They were very clear as to how they felt about him.

Prodromou seemed to have no doubt he would be back at work tomorrow. He’s made himself a lovely little picture for his Facebook page where he claims he’ll be back terrorising women and children again this year.